Eat the Street Pig Out!

More than 4,000 hungry eaters — the best turnout to date — came out for Friday’s Eat the Street, a pig-themed event with amazing pork dishes from more than two dozen food trucks and street food vendors.

In honor of the theme, Nonstop Honolulu held a contest to crown the night’s best pork dish. Writers Mari Taketa, Melissa Chang and Catherine Toth tasted dishes from 22 vendors, judging on taste, execution, creativity and presentation. Dishes were numbered to keep the judges from knowing who made them. The resulting winner surprised even Nonstop: Simply Ono, whose plate of succulent shoyu pork and crispy chocolate-dipped bacon presented pork in two equally awesome ways.

Here’s how the contest went down, including a look at many of the special pork dishes created for ETS Pig Out.

Eat the Street - Balut-eating contest

It wasn't pork, but due to popular demand on Twitter and pressure from friends, Mellissa Cedillo of Elena's Filipino Restaurant held the first balut-eating contest at Eat the Street to add to the festivities. She obtained and cooked the balut, and had special "I survived eating balut" shirts made.

About Diane Seo

Diane Seo is the Editor of Frolic Hawaii and Digital Media Director for Upspring Media. Previously, she was editor and co-founder of Nonstop Honolulu. She's a longtime journalist, who began her career working for such newspapers as The Los Angeles Times, then made the leap in 1999 into the digital sphere and never looked back.

Great night, felt like ETS was revitalized after the last two were hampered a little by the weather. Like I said before having a theme was a good idea to change up things, and it looked like the crowds responded and were out in force. Trucks that did not seem to have lines in previous ETS were getting their share of customers. The pork dishes that I got to taste were all delicious, even saved one for Saturday's lunch. And of course it was great socializing with all the tweeps, truck owners and the Nonstop and Street Grindz crew. Every month at Eat The Street Nonstop blows the roof off--literally! ;-) (haha only joking but I think you guys have to find a way to secure Nonstop HQ from the wind). Until July 29 then...

my fave moment: when the normally reserved, dignified diane seo announced the winner of the best pork dish contest on the mic at the stage. "and the winner is ... SIIIIMPLYYY ONOOOOOOO!!!" that's when the whole nonstop crew cracked up down the line. go diane! can't wait for next month: ETS GARLIC.

Great coverage! Everything looks onolicious, EXCEPT for the balut (ewwww!). =P Sorry that I missed out (just gave birth last week so NOT as mobile yet). Hopefully, in a few months or so we can bring him along.

After a week of the Cooking Channel's Eat Street crew filming Camille's on Wheels, Flip't Out Eats, Opal Thai and Soul Patrol, it was a pity the full crew didn't stay and film tonight's event (the director stayed back an extra day and came down to ETS. I heard he enjoyed it). As Jesse of Flip't Out noted, it would've made the perfect ending to this week's shoots. But I have the feeling they'll be back....

Another wonderful event thanks to the streetgrindz and nonstop gang! Also, thanks for letting me help out! Like I was telling one of the film guys, it's awesome that we're able to support local businesses, and promote sustainability, in a fun, enjoyable environment. Looking forward to the next one... GARLIC?!?!?! WHUT?!?!?! make sure you have breathmints...